• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.71-76
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• 2014

The Netherlands produce more than 11 million tonnes of milk per year, and approximately 60% of the milk is exported. Dutch milk production is five times higher than that of Korea, even though Korea comprises a land area three times greater than the Netherlands. Upscaling and intensification have characterized the Dutch way of dairy farming since 1960, and adverse effects of the intensification of dairy farming became evident from the late 1970s and early 1980s onwards. The transition toward a more sustainable farming system is a central element of the Dutch agenda for the reconstruction of the livestock production sector. The environmental problems in Dutch dairy farming in the 1980s have led to the establishment of the experimental dairy farm "De Marke" which aims at improving the utilization of fertilizers and feeds, through minimizing nutrient requirements, maximizing the use of nutrients in organic manure and homegrown feeds, and through the targeted use of fertilizers and feeds. 85 cows at "De Marke" produce 720 tonnes of milk per year, using 55 ha of pasture in a sustainable manner. That means, 150,000 ha of pasture are required to produce 2 million tonnes of milk, which the current milk production of Korea. It is urgent to provide sufficient pasture for sustainable milk production in Korea, and primarily the transition to pasture of surplus rice paddies, resulting from of a decrease in rice consumption, should be considered.